Tag: zion teferi

It’s a very common instance for Americans to state that racism is not prevalent, or a modern issue needed to be discussed. Many Americans are aware of the perpetual injustices against African Americans but are not adamant on the idea of participating in social change. Others are surrounded by cultural ignorance within a white supremacist landscape, choosing to believe that racism is something of the past. There’s no debate that our country was founded on racist principles and chattel slavery. The existence of social and institutional racism has continued throughout the Old Jim Crow century that followed emancipation. Many organizations throughout the United States are still aggressively discriminating against African Americans. Modern racism has become more subtle but continues to jeopardize black lives throughout America.

My favorite section we did on this blog was about riots. The timing was ironic because Week 3 was the week following the presidential election, and due to the shocking results of the election riots were occurring all throughout the country. This was also an interesting category for me because riots are something that is not new to me; when Donald Trump came to visit my hometown, riots ensued. I saw how it actually looked in real life rather than just on a news channel, so this was definitely a topic that affected me. The most interesting part about the concept of riots to me is that they typically stem from a group of people wanting to make a statement, usually peacefully, but they end up getting out of control. I think something I would be interested in further learning about after doing this project is the theory of how riots actually become riots.

Shelby’s Final Thoughts:

I think one of the most interesting points we came across while researching for our blog posts was the prevalence of systematic racism in our judicial system. American media projects images of uprisings in predominantly black neighborhoods, racial injustices and police brutality. What isn’t shown are the everyday obstacles of discrimination minorities face everyday of their lives. Racial bias is extremely common in the American justice system, professional work environments and academic settings. The amount of prejudice blacks face through social and institutionalized racism is appalling and should be acknowledged on a national level. I believe that until privileged individuals come to terms with the prevalence of modern racism and decide to stand up among minorities widespread discrimination in the States will continue to persist.

Kimberly’s Final Thoughts:

One of my favorite topics that we talked about was the Black Lives Matter Movement. I thought it was a good topic to start off our blog with and it allowed me to learn more about a movement that I was relatively unfamiliar with. I thought it was interesting to learn that to some the All Lives Matter movement can be seen as insulting because it is seen as a denial to the racism towards black people in America. Overall, I enjoyed being able to research the topic of racial injustices in America, and I think that I learned a lot through the research of our four categories; Black Lives Matter, police brutality, riots, and institutional racism.

Aliyah’s Final Thoughts

Overall I think our blog is informative, but still easy to read. The point of this blog was to give readers the tools to start conversations about the injustices in America. These things happen around us everyday, little injustices go unnoticed or undiscussed. As long as they are not discussed publicly, by different races other than just Blacks, more blacks and minorities in this country will suffer. So, if anything I hope readers take away at least one thing from this blog that they can bring up with friends and start a discussion. My favorite section that I think has a lot of takeaways is the Black Lives Matter Movement section. Between traditional and social media I feel like the true purpose and intent of the Movement has been skewed. It seems like people not in the Movement have the most to say about their goals and positions, which is quite unfair. With this in mind, we put together a section that aims to display the true purpose of the Black Lives Matter Movement. The other sections are just as compelling, they tell the stories of injustices. Tell a friend to tell a friend to check it out!

Zion’s Call To Action:

In many ways this blog is designed to educate our audience about racial tensions in America. We not only strived to educate, but to validate the concerns and the unfortunate realities of many Black Americans. Now we’ve told you why Black Lives Matter and how institutional racism has been used to mistreat and underserved Black Americans, but now it’s your turn to take what you learned and turn it into action. Be an ally, it’s a more important role than many people think. Allies to the movement for equality can create dialogue and conversations amongst people who wouldn’t traditionally feel comfortable around marginalized groups. Do your research and spread what you know in circles where you do not see Black Americans. But in all just do what you can to dismantle institutional racism and unlearn the prejudices that may have been instilled in you by voting for policies that reform our criminal justice system and better serve inner city communities. Use your privilage to create equality, for more tips on how to be a great ally to Black Americans please read The Huffington Post’s article: (http://www.salon.com/2016/07/08/how_to_be_a_white_ally_fighting_racism_is_your_responsibility_start_now/ )

Zion Teferi is a Maryland native from Silver Spring. She is now a senior at the University of Maryland in the film studies department where she has a concentration in video production and digital media. While attending the University of Maryland, Zion has joined many organizations that concentrate around the experience of Black communities in Maryland. These organizations have spurred her interest in the Black Lives Matter movement, and helped her to get involved in social activism. Zion will like to do her part in creating awareness and social action for Black issues, which is why the issue of police brutality and institutional racism is so important to her.